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Alembic - show us your pics

marcus bell

By marcus bell,
in General Discussion

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v8bass Contributor

v8bass

Posted
Posted

Ah found the Alembic thread

So this is where people of a certain age go to ogle is it ??

Some Phenomenal bits in this thread so have a preloved one now being enjoyed thoroughly by me

I tend to go for a preloved and used instrument in the main and allways nice to get background on an instrument

Spent a long time talking to the previous owner and this is my newest and arguably the best thing i will ever play

A 1978 series 1 " The One "

fairly plain in some respect a nice piece of honied and aged flamey Shedua but a tone monster that i havent put down

Strung with ridiculous 28 - 90 ( mmm bending harmonics behind the nut )

The neck has been epoxied so its bullet proof mac ebony and skinnier than a skinny thing and shiny too ! and a replacement brass nut installed by JD many moons ago

The selector switch moved too to accomodate some thumby antics

Wanted one since the day i saw Gil Scott Heron and amnesia express player and of course secretary of entertainment

Robert Gordon

A joy !


[attachment=33416:PICT0126.JPG]


[attachment=33417:PICT0127.JPG]


Gary
v8
At last Alembic player !

lozbass Community Regular

lozbass

Posted
Posted

[quote name='v8bass' post='607587' date='Sep 24 2009, 12:27 PM']So this is where people of a certain age go to ogle is it ??[/quote]
Guilty...

An absolutely gorgeous bass! I saw this and was seriously tempted. There's nothing quite like an Alembic (as I'm sure you're finding out)

  • 1 month later...
angelboy Explorer

angelboy

Posted
Posted (edited)

Loz your 'small standard custom' is the dogs! I'm jealous!

Seeing as though I didn't know this thread existed I'll drop my photos for you.


[attachment=35457:bic1.jpg][attachment=35458:bic2.jpg][attachment=35459:bic3.jpg]
[attachment=35460:bic4.jpg][attachment=35461:bic5.jpg][attachment=35462:bic6.jpg]
[attachment=35463:bic7.jpg][attachment=35464:bic8.jpg][attachment=35465:bic9.jpg]
[attachment=35466:bic10.jpg][attachment=35467:bic11.jpg][attachment=35468:bic12.jpg]
[attachment=35469:bic13.jpg][attachment=35471:sf2.jpg][attachment=35472:bicstrap.jpg]

Edited by angelboy
lozbass Community Regular

lozbass

Posted
Posted

Angelboy - first thanks for the very kind comments! That said, the Series 1 is just stunning - I can't believe you'd consider parting with such a beautiful and unique bass

silverfoxnik Grand Master

silverfoxnik

Posted
Posted

[quote name='jakesbass' post='489404' date='May 15 2009, 10:29 PM']Can't believe I haven't added mine to this thread.

[attachment=25317:resized_20.jpg]

[attachment=25318:resized_21.jpg][/quote]
Had the pleasure of seeing and hearing Jake's Alembic at the SE Bass Bash last month.. I think it's one of the most stunning instruments I've ever seen; almost like looking at the bass equivalent of a Rolls Royce or a Bentley!

And the sound? Well, it was awesome (mind you Jake's playing was a huge part of that too)..

lozbass Community Regular

lozbass

Posted
Posted

[quote name='wombatboter' post='644522' date='Nov 3 2009, 05:20 PM']My brandnew Alembic Mark King Signature...hasn't been played (locked away by former owners). Took it out last Saturday for its first gig.[/quote]
Absolutely gorgeous! The holographic effect in the walnut (?) is just beautiful. I'm sure the bass plays and sounds as good as it looks - I've said this many times, but for me, there's nothing quite like an Alembic (and I know that I'm amongst friends in this thread!)

BB3000S Enthusiast

BB3000S

Posted
Posted

Oh my. I've just been Alembic:ed. :)

Thanks to Basschat and a very nice Belgian Gentleman, I have this wonderful Alembic MK5 to fool around with to my hearts content. :rolleyes:
I'm totally floored with its sound and how well it plays! :wub:
Darn, I'm a lucky guy!






Edmouk Rookie

Edmouk

Posted
Posted

Hello hello !

Just a few pics of my two Alembic basses :

This is my old Series I that I bought used from a music shop in Paris in 1990. It was made in 1977.


The next one is quite unusual as it is a medium scale Spoiler with the shape of a Series I, but it has a solid body like the signature series. It was made in 1987 and I got it from a nice bass player in Paris who already owns two other Alembic basses (Elan and Essence). It was one of the few basses played by Mark King in 1988 on a Deutsche TV program (the famous bass challenge) at 4:35 mn : [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpoUHXQjwHw"]Here[/url]


With Jaydee Series III :

4000 Veteran

4000

Posted
Posted

[quote name='BB3000S' post='648428' date='Nov 7 2009, 11:22 PM']Oh my. I've just been Alembic:ed. :)

Thanks to Basschat and a very nice Belgian Gentleman, I have this wonderful Alembic MK5 to fool around with to my hearts content. :rolleyes:
I'm totally floored with its sound and how well it plays! :wub:
Darn, I'm a lucky guy!






[/quote]

So you got it? Congrats, it's one of the most stunning instruments I've ever seen.

BB3000S Enthusiast

BB3000S

Posted
Posted

[quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='648436' date='Nov 8 2009, 12:33 AM']BB3000S, that's stunning! One day...[/quote]
...my prince will come? Do it! :)

[quote name='4000' post='649218' date='Nov 8 2009, 11:17 PM']So you got it? Congrats, it's one of the most stunning instruments I've ever seen.[/quote]

Thanks alot guys! :rolleyes:

It's a seriously nice instrument soundwise as well - it has a crisp and airy single coil sound that's increadibly transparent and true to the acoustic sound of the bass. And the electronics - instead of a traditional Eq each pickup has a lowpass filter with a cutoff (6db/octave) that's sweepable from 350 Hz to 6kHz. Then there's the two Q-switches that add in an extra boost of +9dB where the cutoff starts. All in all, this opens up a wealth of different voicings that still maintain the underlying clarity and focus of the pickups. Sorry if I rant about the obvious, but this being my first ever Alembic to play I'm just utterly amazed. Weeee!! :lol:

Would be nice to test drive a Series II Alembic one day... :lol:

cheers / Matt

jakenewmanbass Proficient

jakenewmanbass

Posted
Posted (edited)

[quote name='BB3000S' post='649313' date='Nov 9 2009, 12:43 AM']...my prince will come? Do it! :)



Thanks alot guys! :rolleyes:

It's a seriously nice instrument soundwise as well - it has a crisp and airy single coil sound that's increadibly transparent and true to the acoustic sound of the bass. And the electronics - instead of a traditional Eq each pickup has a lowpass filter with a cutoff (6db/octave) that's sweepable from 350 Hz to 6kHz. Then there's the two Q-switches that add in an extra boost of +9dB where the cutoff starts. All in all, this opens up a wealth of different voicings that still maintain the underlying clarity and focus of the pickups. Sorry if I rant about the obvious, but this being my first ever Alembic to play I'm just utterly amazed. Weeee!! :lol:

Would be nice to test drive a Series II Alembic one day... :lol:

cheers / Matt[/quote]

I have a sig deluxe 5 string very like yours.. the electronics just keep offering possibilities and I've had it for over 2 yrs. Yours has a lovely top too...
congrats and enjoy.
Jake

PS if you haven't already go and register at the Alembic club (part of alembics own website) there are some great guys over there including regular poster Jimmy Johnson, one of my favourite Alembic players. There's also lots of info regarding setups pickup settings care and repair.... and lots of other lovely Alembics to look at.

Edited by jakesbass
MB1 Veteran

MB1

Posted
Posted (edited)

[quote name='Marcus' post='496136' date='May 23 2009, 03:58 PM']Here's one of my Alembics from the past..... there's been a few (need to sort out some pics from an old PC)

[/quote]

MB1. :)
....As The Spin Doctors once put it!....She used to be mine!...till i saw her with another man!.... An awesome Alembic!..Very Heavy!

Ya Found the pics then Mark! :rolleyes:

Edited by MB1
MB1 Veteran

MB1

Posted
Posted

[quote name='lozbass' post='494651' date='May 21 2009, 07:49 PM']I've been promising this for a long time - so...a little late evening sun in Manchester and here we go (the sun does little for my photography skills). It's an Alembic Series II custom - built around the small standard body shape. This is just around 2 years old - I've had it for about a year. Obviously, the photographs can't do it justice - it has a few unusual options - front and side blue LEDs (lasers in the front of the board), and extra laminates in the body (its cocobolo, maple, purpleheart, maple, vermillion core, maple, purpleheart, maple, cocobolo). Strangely, it has extra LEDs in the first position (a nice touch). The guy that commissioned this is an extraordinary aesthete with fabulous taste (IMO) - a really nice guy too.

Update: a few more photographs with some close-ups for detail - thanks to all for the comments[/quote]

MB1. :)
...Well worth a trip to Sainsburys car park! :rolleyes:
....You at Bassday.....Loz?

lozbass Community Regular

lozbass

Posted
Posted

[quote name='MB1' post='649498' date='Nov 9 2009, 11:01 AM']MB1. :)
...Well worth a trip to Sainsburys car park! :rolleyes:
....You at Bassday.....Loz?[/quote]
'Sure am - forgoing my usual Sunday shopping duties and venturing a bit further down the road to RNCM - see you there?!

wombatboter Experienced

wombatboter

Posted
Posted

[quote name='Edmouk' post='649077' date='Nov 8 2009, 09:14 PM']The next one is quite unusual as it is a medium scale Spoiler with the shape of a Series I, but it has a solid body like the signature series. It was made in 1987 and I got it from a nice bass player in Paris who already owns two other Alembic basses (Elan and Essence). It was one of the few basses played by Mark King in 1988 on a Deutsche TV program (the famous bass challenge) at 4:35 mn : [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpoUHXQjwHw"]Here[/url][/quote]

This bass looks a lot like the one I used to own for a brief moment. I sold it about two-three years ago (not sure since time flies) to a very kind bassplayer from Paris (he played upright too). He came all the way to the station in Brussels to pick up this bass. He was around 50 years old but can't remember his name. Might be my old bass...:-)

jakenewmanbass Proficient

jakenewmanbass

Posted
Posted

[quote name='silverfoxnik' post='642931' date='Nov 1 2009, 10:38 PM']Had the pleasure of seeing and hearing Jake's Alembic at the SE Bass Bash last month.. I think it's one of the most stunning instruments I've ever seen; almost like looking at the bass equivalent of a Rolls Royce or a Bentley!

And the sound? Well, it was awesome (mind you Jake's playing was a huge part of that too)..[/quote]
Kind words Nik... many thanks mate :)

silverfoxnik Grand Master

silverfoxnik

Posted
Posted

[quote name='BB3000S' post='648428' date='Nov 7 2009, 11:22 PM']Oh my. I've just been Alembic:ed. :)

Thanks to Basschat and a very nice Belgian Gentleman, I have this wonderful Alembic MK5 to fool around with to my hearts content. :rolleyes:
I'm totally floored with its sound and how well it plays! :wub:
Darn, I'm a lucky guy![/quote]

That's amazing!! You are indeed 'a lucky guy'.. which may qualify as the understatement of the year!! :lol:

Bassman68 Community Regular

Bassman68

Posted
Posted

[attachment=36120:rogue1.JPG][quote name='silverfoxnik' post='650234' date='Nov 9 2009, 11:05 PM']That's amazing!! You are indeed 'a lucky guy'.. which may qualify as the understatement of the year!! :)[/quote]
I do like a bit of 'Buck-eye' burl, my Rogue 5 string has the same....

  • 2 weeks later...

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